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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26819674">Running Out Of Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsAblaze/pseuds/WordsAblaze'>WordsAblaze</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumpskier [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(that is such a god tier tag), Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Cages, Hurt Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt/Comfort, Jaskier | Dandelion Whump, Kidnapping, Mages, Multi, Protective Eskel (The Witcher), Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Whump, Whumptober, Witchersexual Jaskier | Dandelion, i just like shipping ppl idk, it's another ot3, no beta we die like jaskier doesn't</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:02:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,223</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26819674</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsAblaze/pseuds/WordsAblaze</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jaskier, Geralt, and Eskel have all survived kidnappings before but it's a little harder when you throw love and all kinds of chaos in the mix... day four of whumptober.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eskel/Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumpskier [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949428</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>99</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Running Out Of Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i'm lowkey a big fan of the potential dynamic b/w these three so we're going with it :))<br/>today's pairing: geralt/jaskier/eskel<br/>prompts used: caged / collapsed building</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The three of them wake up behind bars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bars they wake up behind don’t belong to any sort of cell but rather, they make up the <em>cages</em> around them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is unbelievable,” Jaskier mutters, folding his arms over the top of his knees because he doesn’t have space to spread them wide like he normally does.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is anyone hurt?” Eskel asks softly as he looks over them, concern shining in his gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Geralt shakes his head, pushing against the bars. “What are these even made of?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both witchers had pulled themselves upright immediately so they can’t help but glance at Jaskier with incredulous expressions because he really doesn’t look very comfortable squashed at the bottom of his cage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you staring at me, my dear witchers?” Jaskier asks, a small smirk on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eskel rolls his eyes. “You’re going to get muscle cramps if you don’t stretch out soon.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Jaskier just scoffs, Geralt takes the opportunity to glance around the room, frowning when he sees the various vials and jars lining the shelves on the walls. “I think we’ve piqued the interest of another supposed revolutionary.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Eskel turns to him, follows his gaze, and promptly curses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaskier blinks at him, finally lifting his head up enough to look around himself, groaning loudly when he does. “I told you this town had a weird reputation! I </span>
  <em>
    <span>warned</span>
  </em>
  <span> you!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And to be fair, he had. But both Eskel and Geralt had wanted to take the wyvern contract, moreso for the wyvern’s sake than anything else. Everything had gone to plan, aside from the part where they usually leave town without being locked in cages. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Jas,” Eskel offers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll forgive you when I can kiss you,” Jaskier replies, all but pouting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Geralt snorts but his smile fades when a mage walks in with a frown on her face. “None of your blood reacts the way I thought it would,” she says as if they have any idea what she’s referring to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When did you take our blood?” Jaskier asks, clearly offended at the very idea of someone doing such a thing without him realising.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The mage waves a hand. “Don’t ask pointless questions. I need more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“More blood?” Eskel asks, sharing a sideways look with Geralt as the two of them try to find any wounds that prove she’s taken any in the first place because if they can’t, she’s either lying or they’ve been unconscious long enough to heal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think mixing it could work better, it’s too difficult to achieve anything with individual samples,” she continues, clearly unaware of how to read a room correctly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long have we been here?” Geralt questions when both he and Eskel fail to find any injuries, glaring at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ignores him, moving towards Eskel first, a small dagger in her hand. He steps back only to find he can’t actually do that and ends up crashing against the bars, at which point Jaskier finally stands up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, stop it! Leave off him! We are <em>not</em> here to be part of whatever your impossible project is!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The mage spares a second to roll her eyes before reaching out for Eskel’s arm, which he snatches back instantly. She sighs. “Really, you’re going to be difficult about this now that you’re awake?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you expect otherwise?” Geralt asks, genuinely confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She groans as if she’s just discovered that children obviously don’t appreciate being allocated a bedtime. “You don’t want me to do this the hard way,” she tells them, her voice far colder than before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eskel folds his arms. “Why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a short pause before Jaskier gasps, the bars of his cage starting to curve inwards into the very little space he has. “Wait, wait, stop!” he exclaims, uselessly pushing against the metal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll do it,” Geralt blurts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The mage smiles, the bars of Jaskier’s cage going still once more. She leaves a few minutes later, having collected a small amount of blood from all of them and leaving behind matching cuts on their arms, both Eskel's and Geralt's starting to close up almost immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaskier exhales audibly once she’s gone, wiping his still-bleeding arm on his shirt. “Good thing I stood up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After deeming Jaskier's wound manageable, Eskel raises a teasing eyebrow at him. “That’s not what you said when I suggested it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waving a hand, Jaskier grins sheepishly. “We got there in the end. Isn’t that the most important aspect of this situation?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Geralt rolls his eyes at them but his expression quickly sours and he sighs. “Mixing our blood probably won’t go well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eskel nods in agreement. “It’s never gone well before. There was one time that it resulted in-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An ungodly creaking interrupts them. An ungodly creaking that’s almost immediately followed by distant cursing, a small moment of silence, and then utter chaos in the form of self-destructive architecture.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The building takes its time falling apart and by the time it's done, by the time the crashing and smashing and hints of screaming have subsided, all three cages have been knocked over, shelves, bricks, vials, and the like all scattered absolutely everywhere. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eskel? Jaskier? Are you okay?” Geralt asks, craning his neck to try and spot them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bruised but okay,” Eskel confirms, coughing. His cage seems to have landed on top of some rubble, leaving him tilted, not quite standing but not quite lying down the way Geralt is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jaskier?” Geralt calls again, worried by the distinct lack of complaining. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Weakly, they hear Jaskier groan. “Geralt?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eskel curses, kicking the bars of his cage and dislodging some of the mess piled in front of him to get a better view. Unfortunately, the view doesn’t really make things better: </span>
  <span>Jaskier’s cage had ended up underneath a rather alarming mountain of rubble, which wouldn't necessarily be a problem except that the bars of his cage are still curved inwards, leaving his back arched uncomfortably as the remains of the ceiling push down on the bars above him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eskel curses strongly enough to worry Geralt even further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jas, try not to move,” Eskel tells their bard, hating that he can’t do anything else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I couldn’t if I tried,” Jaskier mumbles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you hurt?” Geralt asks urgently, not smelling any blood but still overly aware of Jaskier’s fear filling the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All three of them hear the slight creak that comes from his cage, after which Jaskier lets out a strangled sob. “I... I wouldn't say... breathing... is easy,” he manages. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Geralt’s turn to curse as he lashes out at the bars of his own cage, which, surprisingly, begin to bend. It’s probably something to do with the mage no longer being present but he doesn’t care, he just carries on punching.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, Jas, we’re going to get you out of there!” Eskel shouts above the sound of Geralt’s knuckles bruising, both of them despising how scared their bard is of dying so close to and yet so far away from them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know…” Jaskier whimpers softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eskel glances at Geralt, whose cage is already almost curved enough for him to get out of it, and sighs. “Just a little longer, bardling. You’re not going to die.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s definitely not going to get out of this unscathed but his witchers would never let him not get out of it at all. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the other prompt for today was 'buried alive' and i didn't manage to include it here but i'm really tempted to write smthing for it after whumptober, anyone interested / have any specific ideas?</p><p>anyway, thanks for reading !! toss a kudos/comment?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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